THE AUSTIN PAPERS 473 El S. Vice Presidente recibi6 el mapa geografico que V. le remiti6, pero lleg6 muy maltratado: las leyes de colonizacion que V. me dice me envio en Marzo no h6.n llegado a.mi poder; y ya que tengo la satisfnccion de entrar en correspondencia con V. le estimare me haga el favor de ver como se me puede formar una coleccion de yerbas, de conchns, y de otros objetos curiosos de esas costas para el M:useo nacionnl. Pasabaseme decir aV. un pensamiento que me ha ocurrido y que convendria para estrechar mas esa colonia con el resto delos meji- canos; tal es el que en ella se estendiera nuestro idioma en terminos que les fuera como familiar: 6. esto contribuira mucho el que en la Gazeta ,que ahi se publica se insertasen artjculos en castellano ca- paces de llamar la atencion ·y que exitasen el deseo de perfeccionarse en el y de aprenderlo. • Aprovecho est.a ocasion para ofrecerme ala disposicion de V. como su afmo. amigo y seguro servidor Q. B. S. J\f. • Luo..1s ALA1rrAN [Rubric]
HENRY AUSTIN TO AUSTIN
Brasoria Augt 25--,1830
MY DEAR Sm
I have at Inst reach'd this place with the steamboat and purpose ascending the river on Saturday next so far as the water will permit It is believed here that I shall not get higher than Bolivar in the present state of the water-in which case I shall take horses and visit you at St Filipi. • • I am much pleased with the country so far as I have seen it The river to this place is of much easier and safer navigation than the one I have left-but I doubt whether a steamboat cnn be sup- ported on it unless it can be made navigable in the ordinary state of the waters as far as your town and a communication opened with a ship anchorage in Galveston bay . It is obviously important to the prosperity of the colony that these two objects should oe atta.ined promptly whether practicable or not can only be judged of on actual survey and then the means. of accomplishing works of such magnitude may not be readily ob- tained- Still I think that if you concur with me in the opinion of the importance and advantages of the work a plan may be devised t? carry it into effect- at all events I must come to a prompt deci- sion as to the future disposition of the boat-as the expense of her is too great to be supported in idleness 88,q70-28--31
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